Black On Red
by Stormy Skyz
Summary: Cinderheart was not the only reincarnation of a Clan cat. There were two more – two well-known ShadowClan cats. Once they were allies. Friends, even. But in this life, with no memory of their past lives, they can't stand one another. Follow these two cats on their journey to the height of ShadowClan in its darkest hour… if you dare…
1. Prologue & Allegiances

_**A/N: Hello! If you are reading this, you might be a fan of my Talk Show, or you might have just been really bored. Well, if you do plan to stay and read for a while, know that ALL CREDIT OF THIS STORYLINE GOES TO KATIEK101!**_

_**I'm guilty of skipping over allegiances in most stories (sorry, guys) but make sure you at least skim this because I've killed off a lot of elders, made some senior warriors into elders, and made new deputies. And…sorry about Mistystar, too – I made her an elder due to deafness. I just think she was really old to be a leader. (Come on, she was older than Firestar, and Erin Hunter made him seem REALLY old!) I was going to make Mistystar go blind, but I thought she should go deaf due to being in water all the time. (inspired by my swimmer's ear infection! Joy!)**_

_**Anywho, enjoy this story by KatieK101!**_

**ALLEGIANCES**

**SHADOWCLAN**

**LEADER: ROWANSTAR **– ginger tom

**DEPUTY: TOADFOOT **– dark brown tom

**APPRENTICE, PUDDLEPAW**

**MEDICINE CAT: MUDFOOT **– brown-and-white tom with yellow eyes

**WARRIORS: **(toms and she-cats without kits)

**SMOKEFOOT **– black tom

**APPLEFUR **– mottled brown she-cat

**CROWFROST **– black-and-white tom

**APPRENTICE, FROGPAW**

**RATSCAR **– brown tom with a long scar across his back

**TAWNYPELT **– tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes

**OLIVENOSE **– tortoiseshell she-cat

**OWLCLAW **– light brown tabby tom

**APPRENTICE, GREENPAW**

**SHREWFOOT **– gray she-cat with black feet

**SCORCHFUR **– dark gray tom

**TIGERHEART **– dark brown tabby tom

**DAWNPELT **– cream-furred she-cat

**APPRENTICE, MOTHPAW**

**PINENOSE **– black she-cat

**FERRETCLAW **– cream-and-gray tom

**STARLINGWING **– ginger tom

**APPRENTICES: **(six moons or older, in training to become warriors)

**PUDDLEPAW – **brown tabby she-cat with green eyes

**FROGPAW **– light brown tabby tom

**GREENPAW **– pretty gray-and-white she-cat

**MOTHPAW **– mottled brown tom

**QUEENS: **(she-cats expecting or nursing kits)

**SNOWBIRD **– pure-white she-cat, mother of Redwillow's kit, Redkit - foster mother to Blackkit

**IVYTAIL **– black, white, and tortoiseshell she-cat, mother of Ratscar's kits, Oakkit and Pricklekit

**ELDERS: **(former warriors and queens, now retired)

**SNAKETAIL **– light brown tabby tom with a long tail

**OAKFUR **– small brown tom

**KINKFUR **– tabby she-cat with fur that sticks out at all angles

**THUNDERCLAN**

**LEADER: BRAMBLESTAR **– dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes

**DEPUTY: SQUIRRELFLIGHT **– dark ginger she-cat with green eyes

**APPRENTICE, DEWPAW **(gray tabby tom with green eyes)

**MEDICINE CAT: JAYFEATHER **– gray tabby tom with blind blue eyes

**APPRENTICE, BRARLIGHT **(dark brown she-cat)

**WARRIORS: **(toms and she-cats without kits)

**LEAFPOOL **– light brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes, former medicine cat

**APPRENTICE, SEEDPAW **(pale ginger she-cat)

**SPIDERLEG **– long-limbed black tom with a brown underbelly and amber eyes

**BIRCHFALL **– light brown tabby tom

**BERRYNOSE **– cream-colored tom

**HAZELTAIL **– small gray-and-white she-cat

**MOUSEWHISKER **– gray-and-white tom

**APPRENTICE, LILYPAW **(dark tabby she-cat with white patches)

**POPPYFROST **– tortoiseshell she-cat

**LIONBLAZE **– golden tabby tom with amber eyes

**FOXLEAP **– russet brown tom

**ICECLOUD **– white she-cat

**APPRENTICE, SNOWPAW **(white tom with green eyes)

**TOADSTEP **– black-and-white tom

**ROSEPETAL **– dark cream she-cat

**BUMBLESTRIPE **– very pale gray tabby tom with black stripes

**IVYPOOL **– silver-and-white she-cat with green eyes

**APPRENTICE, AMBERPAW **(ginger she-cat with blue eyes)

**CHERRYSTORM **– ginger she-cat

**MOLECLAW **– cream-and-gray tom

**QUEENS: **(she-cats expecting or nursing kits)

**WHITEWING **– white she-cat with green eyes, expecting Birchfall's kits

**CINDERHEART – **gray tabby she-cat with blue eyes, mother of Lionblaze's kits, Flamekit and Hollykit

**DOVEWING **– gray tabby she-cat with dark blue eyes, expecting kits

**BLOSSOMFALL – **tortoiseshell she-cat, mother of Mousewhisker's kits, Cloudkit, Nettlekit and Darkkit

**ELDERS: **(former warriors and queens, now retired)

**SANDSTORM **– pale ginger she-cat

**GRAYSTRIPE **– long-furred gray tom

**BRIGHTHEART **– white she-cat with ginger splotches

**MILLIE **– striped gray tabby she-cat

**THORNCLAW **– golden brown tabby tom

**SORRELTAIL **– tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat with amber eyes

**WINDCLAN**

**LEADER: ASHSTAR **– elderly gray she-cat

**DEPUTY: GORSETAIL **– very pale gray-and-white tom with blue eyes

**APPRENTICE, RABBITPAW **(gray tabby she-cat with white paws)

**MEDICINE CAT: KESTRELFLIGHT **– mottled gray tom

**WARRIORS: **(toms and she-cats without kits)

**WEASELFUR **– ginger tom with white paws

**HARESPRING **– brown-and-white tom

**APPRENTICE, PLOVERPAW **(cream-furred tom)

**LEAFTAIL **– dark tabby tom with amber eyes

**EMBERFOOT **– gray tom with two dark paws

**HEATHERTAIL **– light brown tabby she-cat with blue eyes

**SWALLOWTAIL **– dark gray she-cat

**APPRENTICE, BUZZARDPAW **(dark brown tom with yellow eyes)

**SUNSTRIKE – **tortoiseshell she-cat with a large white mark on her forehead

**WHISKERNOSE **– light brown tom

**FURZETAIL **– gray-and-white she-cat

**BOULDERFUR – **large pale gray tom

**QUEENS: **(she-cats expecting or nursing kits)

**SEDGEWHISKER **– light brown tabby she-cat, mother of Harespring's kits, Stormkit, Creekkit, and Yellowkit

**ELDERS: **(former warriors and queens, now retired)

**OWLWHISKER **– light brown tabby tom

**WHITETAIL **– small white queen

**RIVERCLAN**

**LEADER: REEDSTAR **– black tom with amber eyes

**DEPUTY: RUSHTAIL **– light brown tabby she-cat

**MEDICINE CAT: WILLOWSHINE **– gray tabby she-cat

**WARRIORS: **(toms and she-cats without kits)

**MINTFUR **– light gray tabby tom

**ICEWING **– white she-cat with blue eyes

**APPRENTICE, STREAMPAW **(silver tabby she-cat)

**MINNOWTAIL **– dark gray she-cat

**PEBBLEFOOT **– mottled gray tom

**MALLOWNOSE **– light brown tabby she-cat

**ROBINWING **– tortoiseshell-and-white tom

**BEETLEWHISKER **– brown-and-white tabby tom

**APPRENTICE, STONEPAW **(gray tabby tom)

**PETALFUR **– gray-and-white she-cat

**GRASSPELT** – light brown tom

**HOLLOWBELLY **– dark brown tabby tom

**APPRENTICE, SKYPAW **(gray-and-white she-cat)

**TROUTCLAW **– pale gray tabby she-cat

**MOSSYCLAW **– brown-and-white she-cat

**QUEENS: **(she-cats expecting or nursing kits)

**GRAYMIST **– pale gray tabby she-cat, expecting Reedstar's kits

**ELDERS: **(former warriors and queens, now retired)

**MISTYFOOT – **gray she-cat with blue eyes, deaf in one ear

**CATS OUTSIDE CLANS**

**BUDDY **– gray tabby tom who lives at the horseplace, Smoky and Floss's son

**LILLY **– gray-and-white she-cat who lives at the horseplace with Buddy, Smoky and Floss's daughter

. . .

**. : PROLOGUE : .**

Stars glittered in the moonless, midnight sky, reflecting off a nearby creek. The long grass waved in the breeze, sparkling with tiny droplets of dew. The brisk night air ruffled the trees and pushed foggy-looking clouds across the sky. A storm was brewing quickly.

A battle-scarred ginger she-cat paced near the creek, cool air misting over her fur and forming droplets on the tips. She picked up her feet high like a cat who held authority, and the way she held her head demanded respect. Her yellow eyes were fixed on the ground in front of her paws as she paced, and her lips were half-pulled back in a snarl, showing yellowed teeth cracked with age.

". . . out of time. . .disaster coming . . . death to ShadowClan . . ." the she-cat muttered. The wind carried away her words, straight to a night-black tom watching the ordeal nearby.

"Would you stop squirming?" he finally spoke up, his voice quiet but full of authority.

The ginger she-cat spun, moonlight flashing off her claws. "Nightstar!" she spat, ripping out large hunks of grass as she turned. "Don't sneak up on me! You know I hate that."

"It's not called sneaking when you're making enough noise to deafen every rabbit from here to the old forest," Nightstar replied with lightning wit. He cleared his throat and continued, his amber eyes darkening with seriousness, "Now what in the name of StarClan are you doing out here, Russetfur?"

The reddish she-cat lashed her tail. "You have to send me back. Soon!"

"We can't," Nightstar meowed. "Not yet."

"Why not?" Russetfur demanded.

"It's not time yet," the night-black leader responded wisely. "We have to wait for Blackstar. You know that, as well as any StarClan cat."

Russetfur scraped agitatedly at the ground with her claws. "But it's dragging out too long, and the darkness is already moving in the Clans. You have to send me back _now_!"

"Blackstar is old. He is on his last life and the sun is setting quickly for him," Nightstar meowed sternly. "And we all know of the Great Battle coming soon."

The she-cat's ears pricked up at this. "That doesn't mean anything. You know the danger that the Clans are in – and I'm not talking about the Dark Forest. This disaster could wipe out all four Clans. They will forever perish in a torturous, dark way – far darker than the Dark Forest could ever dream of."

"I know the prophecy," Nightstar growled. "I'm the one that received it, if you could remember. We must be patient, Russetfur. We can't–"

"Rush things. I know," Russetfur sighed, padding to the creek's edge. She glared down at her reflection, amber eyes smoldering. "But by the time we arrive, the Clans may be out of time."

The old leader took a pace forward to join her at the water's edge. "Russetfur, you do know that even when he does get here, we must wait longer – we must wait for the right time."

Russetfur whirled, baring her teeth in a snarl. "Do you _want _the Clans to die?" she demanded, unsheathing her claws.

"I think you and I both know the answer to that question," Nightstar replied mildly. "Put your claws away, Russetfur. You must be ready at any time. Blackstar's time is coming soon, and when it does, then I will know you are both ready."

. . .

Rowanstar leaped down from the Great Tree, sweeping his plumed tail gracefully. Toadfoot, his deputy, joined him, mewing goodbyes to the other deputies as they faced their Clan.

"Home, ShadowClan," Rowanstar meowed. Toadfoot and Tawnypelt were shoulder-to-shoulder with him as they charged toward the tree bridge. Rowanstar bunched his muscles and sprang onto it, taking the tree in three great bounds before landing lightly on the other side. ShadowClan followed close behind, their dark pelts blending with the shadows. Only their glittering eyes showed.

"I can't wait to get back home to Snowbird," Tawnypelt puffed out between breaths. "Her kitting must be over soon."

Rowanstar mewed agreement. Mudfoot, the new medicine cat, had stayed home to help Snowbird with the kitting. He was probably more nervous than she was – Littlecloud had just died within the past moon, and this would be his first kitting without his old mentor. "I probably should have let you stay home," he meowed. "Mudfoot would probably have felt a lot better." He silently cursed himself. He had been trying to get the whole "leader" thing right, constantly asking himself, "What would Blackstar do?" but he ended up forgetting at least one minor detail each time.

"It'll be fine," Tawnypelt assured him over the sound of their paws crunching noisily over the pebbles. "Mudfoot needs the experience, and Snowbird has kitted before. She'll know what to do."

A cool breeze was rolling off the lake, but Rowanstar was running so close to Tawnypelt their fur brushed, and her warmth kept him comfortably warm.

When they were nearing the ShadowClan border, Rowanstar heard a sharp exclamation of, "Hey! What's that?"

Rowanstar swung his head around to see Toadfoot lengthen his stride. As his paws thudded past the halfbridge – the ShadowClan-RiverClan border – Rowanstar heard a piteous cry of help.

"It's a kit!" he replied, and sped ahead to follow his deputy. The rest of his Clan pricked up their ears to listen, and their bright-eyed gazes followed as he took a pace forward to inspect it.

The kit was obviously a newborn, but Rowanstar could tell it would be a big cat someday by its big black paws. Strangely enough, the rest of it was pure-white.

Rowanstar's blood turned to ice. Just like . . . just . . . like . . . _Blackstar_.

"Poor little scrap," Tawnypelt murmured, nudging the bundle of fur. "Should we take it in?"

Rowanstar opened his mouth, not quite sure of what he would say yet, but Toadfoot spoke over his thoughts. "Are you kidding? We're not ThunderClan. We don't take in _kittypets_!" he looked to Rowanstar to make sure his leader agreed with him. "Right, Rowanstar?"

_Don't they see his black paws? Don't they see he looks like Blackstar? _Rowanstar wondered. "I-I . . ." He figured that if this kit knew anything, _anything_ from where he came from, it would be worth it. But if he left the kit here, he would never find out the slightest hint of information. He cleared his throat. "Of course we're taking it in. The warrior code says we should help it. ShadowClan cats are dangerous, not heartless. Tawnypelt, will you carry him? I'm naming him Blackkit."

Tawnypelt nudged his shoulder with hers, and when he met her bright green gaze, she gave a tiny nod, as if she agreed. Then she bent her head and picked up the tiny bundle.

Behind them, Toadfoot was wearing a look of utter shock, and his paws were braced far out from underneath him.

"Don't gawk, Toadfoot," Rowanstar purred, circling around his deputy once before bounding off after Tawnypelt, "Or I might have to call you Flycatcher instead."

. . .

"Rowanstar!"

As soon as Rowanstar ducked under the overhanging branches of the yew bush, he was met face-to-face with the wide gold eyes of Mudfoot. The apprentice-sized medicine cat's face was full of excitement. "I did it!" he meowed triumphantly. "Snowbird's kit is alive and healthy!"

"Congratulations, Mudfoot," Rowanstar meowed warmly. "And see, you were worried that you couldn't do it."

Mudfoot's whiskers drooped with weariness. He looked drained. "I was, and I still am. I don't know why I ever chose to be a medicine cat. Hopefully Snowbird's kit will want to be medicine cat?" he asked hopefully.

"I don't know about that, Mudfoot," Rowanstar replied gravely. "We found another kit on the way back from the Gathering. Do you think Snowbird would take it?"

The young medicine cat shrugged. "I don't know."

Rowanstar rested his tail on the young cat's shoulder. "Go get yourself any piece of prey on the fresh-kill pile, and get some sleep. You deserve it."

"Thank you, Rowanstar," Mudfoot replied, before walking off, shoulders hunched and tail drooping with weariness.

Rowanstar caught Tawnypelt heading toward the nursery and followed her in. Snowbird pricked up her ears when they entered. A tiny ginger kit was suckling at her belly.

Narrowing his eyes, Rowanstar remembered that the father of Snowbird's kits was Redwillow. Blackstar's killer. He totally and fully blamed Redwillow for Blackstar's death – they had killed one another, their blows struck too hard.

"Another kit?" Snowbird asked. "Who's is it?"

"We don't know," Rowanstar replied. "We found it on the ShadowClan border on the way back from the Gathering. He's a spitting image of Blackstar, so we named him Blackkit. Will you take him?"

Snowbird gazed at the kit, hanging limply from Tawnypelt's jaws. Only by the shallow rise and fall of his flank did Rowanstar know he was alive. "I suppose Redkit could use a friend."

"Redkit?" Rowanstar's tail bristled.

"Yes, I named her after her father," Snowbird replied, meeting his gaze evenly. "Is there a problem with that, Rowanstar?"

Rowanstar's eyes smoldered with fury before he wrenched his gaze from hers. "No."

"Good," Snowbird replied, flicking her tail toward the kit. "Bring him here."

Blackkit nestled in with Redkit almost as soon as Tawnypelt put him down. Redkit squealed in protest at first from having to share her mother with someone else and battered him with her paws. He shoved her right back in a silent, stern way, and turned away from her.

The two kits, born on the same night, already hated one another.

_**A/N: Ehhh, I can do better. Truthfully, I can. Once we get some plotline going and stirring up some action, it'll be better. This chapter wasn't too hot, but you know how it goes.**_

_**Sooo, what did you think? I'd love to know if you liked it, loved it, or hated it in a review or a PM below, whether it's a ':)', ':D', or a 'D:'!**_

_**Seeya next chapter! Hopefully!**_

_**-Storm**_


	2. Chapter One - Memories

_**A/N: Hi again! A lot of you noticed my mistake with Rowanstar sentencing Redwillow to death after he killed Blackstar. That's not really how it happened in Warriors, but I'm a little out of it with my Warriors facts. BUT, for this chapter, I have done research all over Warriors Wikipedia and scoured the pages of **_**The Darkest Hour, Battles of the Clans **_**and **_**The Last Hope **_**for Blackstar quotes.**_

_**Also, I know I said Blackkit and Redkit have no memory of their past lives, but honestly, kits lead boring lives. Do you know how boring it would get to be a young kit? Ahhhh!**_

_**You'll see more of an interaction between Redkit and Blackkit next chapter. I'll probably do her POV in the next one. **_

**. : CHAPTER ONE : .**

**MEMORIES**

The sky was covered with mousy gray-and-white clouds. Light rain sprinkled down from them, pattering on every leaf and pine needle and fern frond. The wind carried a chill unfamiliar to green-leaf and ran its claws through the branches of the tall pines in ShadowClan territory. The earth was soft and muddy and left long brown streaks on Blackkit's legs as he pounced on Oakkit.

"Got you!" he yowled triumphantly, landing heavily on the pretty brown she-cat.

With a hiss, Oakkit spun around and pretended to rake her claws down his cheek. "Pricklekit!" she called. "WindClan invaders are attacking! Get them!"

Two strong paws landed on Blackkit's shoulders. Pricklekit was the largest kit in the nursery, being three moons older than him. Blackkit's head only reached his shoulder. Pricklekit yanked Blackkit off his sister and tossed him away with a butt of his head. "That'll teach you to knock around my sister! Now shoo, you mangy rabbit-muncher!"

Blackkit bared his teeth in a mock snarl. "I shall never give up!"

The three kits were playing in the center of the clearing, near the fresh-kill pile. Ivytail was patrolling with Mudfoot, so Snowbird was the only queen in camp, watching them nearby while sharing tongues with two of the elders, Kinkfur and Snaketail.

Redkit, Snowbird's only kit, was climbing a tree. She called it "practicing to be a warrior" but Blackkit knew she was only trying to avoid flat-out playing with the other kits. Although she was the same age as he was, she despised indignity and refused to play with the others.

By now, Blackkit had gotten used to Redkit on her own. The first two moons, he had tried to invite her to chase leaves, play tag, or listen to the elders' stories. Every single time, she had ignored him or turned him down, so he stopped trying.

Suddenly, Blackkit saw a flash of movement and a streak of ginger fur at the edge of his vision. He rolled off of Pricklekit and stood up in one fluid motion. "Look! Rowanstar's calling a meeting!"

Thunder rolled, drowning out his words. Oakkit tipped her head to one side. "What?"

Blackkit opened his jaws to reply, but Rowanstar was standing on one of the higher branches of the Tall Pine, yowling, "Let all the ShadowClan cats gather here for a Clan meeting!"

"I wonder what it could be for," Blackkit wondered.

Suddenly, Oakkit gasped. "Our apprentice ceremony, Pricklekit! We're going to be apprentices!"

Pricklekit's eyes lit up. His tail stuck straight up in the air and his eyes blazed with excitement. "I can't believe it! It's finally time!"

"Congratulations, you guys," Blackkit meowed, feeling a little left out. "Redkit and I will miss you."

"Well," Oakkit meowed, stopping her bouncing and dropping back to all four paws, "I doubt _Redkit _will, but I believe _you_."

Blackkit let out a purr of amusement. "The nursery will be so empty without you. You'll have to come back from training every day and tell me about it. Will you?"

"Of course we will," Pricklekit assured him, touching noses with him. "Come on. You can sit up front with us."

A bit saddened, Blackkit followed his denmates to the front of the crowd and sat a few tail-lengths behind them just as Rowanstar was beginning to speak. He noticed Ivytail was back from the patrol and was watching her kits with pride near the center of the clearing.

"Today ShadowClan gathers for an uplifting announcement that proves that it is strong," Rowanstar began. "Two of our kits are going to be made apprentices. Oakkit, Pricklekit, step forward, please."

The kits obeyed, and Rowanstar continued, "Oakkit, until the day you are made a warrior, you shall be known as Oakpaw." He quickly scanned the crowd and meowed, "Starlingwing will be your mentor."

The young ginger tom's eyes brightened and he padded forward to touch noses with the newly-named Oakpaw. They stepped back to make room for Pricklekit; the ginger-and-white tom looked nervous and small now that he was alone in the clearing before his leader.

"Pricklekit, until the day you become a warrior, you shall be known as Pricklepaw. Scorchfur will be your mentor," Rowanstar meowed. "Pass on your skills to these apprentices, warriors. Make them warriors ShadowClan will be proud of. I know you will."

"Oakpaw! Pricklepaw! Oakpaw! Pricklepaw!" Blackkit cheered, with the rest of the Clan.

Blackkit let out a sigh as his former denmates padded out of camp with their new mentors. Now he was alone in the nursery, stuck with Redkit. He was not looking forward to it. He turned around and was about to head back to find a mossball to bat or a leaf to chase – alone – but before he could, someone called out his name.

"Blackkit!"

Turning, Blackkit came face-to-face with Rowanstar. The dark ginger tom gestured with his head to the yew tree whose branches framed the exit to camp. "Walk with me in the forest," Rowanstar meowed.

"But . . ." Blackkit was confused. Kits weren't allowed out of the nursery until they were apprentices! What was Rowanstar _thinking_?

"I'm your leader, and I say it's alright, as long as you're with me," Rowanstar responded, and Blackkit spotted an amused gleam in his eyes.

Without another word, Rowanstar strode past him and ducked under the yew tree. Hesitantly, Blackkit followed. He fully trusted Rowanstar; it was he who had found Blackkit as a tiny scrap of fur on the edge of ShadowClan territory. Realization struck him like a blow of claws. Of course! Rowanstar was always nudging him off to the side, asking him if he knew anything about his past before ShadowClan. This was probably what this was about. But he had never taken him out in the forest before . . .

As soon as Blackkit emerged from camp, he was utterly awed by the forest outside. It was certainly perfect for ShadowClan. The pine branches interlocked above his head so there was plenty of shade, and no grass grew beneath the trees – that was covered completely by dead, orange pine needles. He flexed his claws over it. The layer was thick, good for covering the sound of pawsteps when hunting prey. The smell of pine sap was both refreshing and overwhelming. The forest was nothing but blacks and dark greens, which would be good for most dark-pelted ShadowClan cats. He glanced back at his snow-white pelt in envy. He would have to be an even better hider than everyone else to stay concealed.

"Are you going to stand there catching flies all day, or what?" Rowanstar meowed. "Come on!"

Blackkit shook his head to clear his thoughts and scampered after his leader. Rowanstar moved at a steady trot, but Blackkit had to run to keep up. They headed down to the lakeshore, where there were less trees and more wind. The dead needles on the ground turned to pebbles that rolled and scattered with every step.

When he caught up to Rowanstar, the ginger tom was sitting tall and stern with the lake just lapping at his paws. Blackkit copied him, bracing his irregularly big black paws forward in the water.

He glanced diagonally across the lake to that . . . what was it called . . . a halfbridge? A memory stirred deep within his chest . . . the thud of a dark tabby she-cat as she tried to crush him . . . a pulsating yowl of, "Black . . . what . . . ou . . . doin . . . ?" Blackkit's ears began to ring as he heard the sound of fighting cats, the roar of blood in his ears, and the cry of, "ShadowClan, attack!"

Then it was all gone. Blackkit shook his head. What had just happened to him? He had an idea that it was a dream, only he was awake, so it must have been a daydream. Blackkit looked down at his reflection, trying to recall the burst of images that had just taken place before him. They were quickly fading, so he stopped probing his mind for more and merely shrugged his shoulders.

"Blackkit! Blackkit, are you deaf?"

Blackkit looked up at Rowanstar in confusion. "Wha . . . ?"

"Oh, good. You're still in there," Rowanstar meowed. "What just happened to you? Your eyes glazed over and you stopped responding."

So he had daydreamed of something, but what?

"Sorry, I uh . . . didn't sleep well last night," he responded. "Redkit kept kicking me in the face."

The ginger leader nodded, looking a little relieved that it was the simple fact of weariness. "What I brought you out here to ask you is what happened before you came here. Do you remember anything?" he queried.

Blackkit reached deep into his tired brain for answers. He vaguely remembered a gray-and-white she-cat speaking to him. Her eyes were green and full of wisdom and stars and brightness. But what had she said . . .? Every time he tried to remember a direct quote, this horrible ringing filled his ears, pulsing in and out each heartbeat, and he could only hear half of what they said, and most of their words faded in or out: "Black . . . time . . . – o . . . back . . . time . . . – fill . . . cha – . . . fate . . ." Then what had she done? Hadn't she touched her nose to the top of his head?

"Blackkit?" Rowanstar prompted.

"Uhhh, I think my mother was gray-and-white," Blackkit replied. "Her name . . ." his eyes clouded. "H-H . . . Hol-Holly . . ." Oh, what did he know? Her name could be anything? It might not even start with an 'H'. "I don't know."

Rowanstar was gazing at him thoughtfully. "Hmmm," he meowed. Under his breath he added, "Odd." Then he stood up. "We'd better get back to camp or Snowbird will be wondering where you're at."

"Okay," Blackkit agreed. He was very lucky that Rowanstar had taken him out of camp before six moons; most kits didn't have that opportunity.

Before he turned back to the direction of camp, he took one more look across the lake. Somehow, he knew that those leafy trees were ThunderClan, those moors belonged to WindClan, and that wet, marshy place next to them could only be RiverClan. That island . . . there was something familiar about that island, too. Words echoed in his mind, words that were spoken in his voice, but another voice too, one that was deeper and rougher and more gravelly-sounding.

_We won the battle after all . . . I'll take my Clan home . . . I'm their leader now . . . ShadowClan does not talk with ThunderClan – we make our own decisions . . . I'll make sure . . . no cat is led astray . . . again . . . Never trust the shadows . . . My warriors wear the night like second pelts . . . Wrong ShadowClan . . . never be safe in the dark . . . ShadowClan attack!_


	3. Chapter Two - Fight!

_**A/N: It's a shorter chapter this time around. :P I should write an extremely long author's note to make it longer… except for the fact that I have nothing to say :3 This chapter is kinda cruddy but the next will have more action in it, I promise.**_

_**Now what are you still doing up here? Go read! ;)**_

**. : CHAPTER TWO : .**

**FIGHT!**

The rain had stopped by the time Redkit finished her tree climbing exercise. Now that Pricklepaw and Oakpaw were apprentices, she would practically have the nursery all to herself, with an exception of that pesky rogue kit. She curled her lip as she slid down the sapling. Everything about Blackkit grated on her nerves, from the sound of his voice to the color of his fur – and for some reason, she didn't know why.

Almost as soon as she had dropped to the ground, Redkit spotted Rowanstar leading Blackkit into the camp. Her pelt burned with jealousy. Rowanstar was _always _taking Blackkit aside and giving him special treatment! She peeled back her lips in a snarl. What made Blackkit so special? He wasn't even _Clanborn_!

Redkit turned away from the black-pawed kit and stalked to the fresh-kill pile, struggling to shove her envy to the back of her mind. She groaned inwardly when Blackkit headed toward the pile and frantically searched for something that she liked, but there was no frog or mouse at all – just lizard.

"Hey, Redkit," Blackkit chirped.

Rolling her eyes, Redkit growled, "What did Rowanstar want?"

The other kit hesitated one long, agonizing moment that made Redkit want to claw him. "Oh, nothing. He was just asking me what happened before I came to the Clan."

Redkit snorted. "Weren't you just born when he found you?"

"Well, yeah, but I do have a memory . . ." for a moment, Blackkit looked confused. He swiped his tongue around his jaws, his eyes fixed on some point in the distance. Suddenly he flinched and shook his head, licking his lips again. "Oh, well. It's not important."

"How can you have a memory of when you were just born?" Redkit grumbled as she rummaged through the pile. There was a tiny shrew to one side, and when Blackkit answered her question, she'd retreat with it.

"It's not memories from when I was just born. They seem . . . really old. You know, like I have a past warrior's memories or something," Blackkit responded, and Redkit pricked up her ears with interest. "I hear rallying battle cries, feel fur under my claws, and taste blood on my lips. It's really odd. You want this?"

Redkit looked up to see him pushing a robin toward her with his paws. "No thanks," she snapped back. _I don't want anything from _you, _thank you very much! _She picked up the shrew and stomped away to eat her meal.

. . .

Nearly three moons later, Redkit was watching the apprentices practice their stalking moves from the shadows of behind the nursery and was secretly practicing it on her own. She had already mastered the hunters' crouch but had never really gotten the chance to practice fighting because there were no other kits besides Blackkit in the nursery, but she refused to play with _him._

Redkit opened her jaws to scent the air. She knew her Clanmates' scents by now, of pine sap and fresh air and the faint scent of blossoming things. That scent was overpowering, but there was something else . . . something that smelled foreign to the forest. Redkit narrowed her eyes to slits and glanced around the hollow. ShadowClan camp was pretty well-protected.

A flash of brown in the sky made her head jerk up. Redkit spotted feathered, mud-colored wings, a tapered yellow beak, curved talons and cruel, beady black eyes. She sprang forward immediately to raise the alarm. "Hawk! Hawk!" she yowled.

The cats closest to her raised their gazes to the sky before panicking. They fled for their dens, tails streaming out behind them. Redkit scanned the fleeing cats, looking past the thudding paws and ignoring the mud spattering on to her fur. _Come on, come on, where are you? _Where was that familiar white pelt? _There!_

"Snowbird!" Redkit yowled, racing toward her mother. What was the snow-white she-cat doing in the middle of the clearing, still as a stone? "Snowbird, run!"

The hawk was heading straight for Snowbird!

As the clearing thinned out to only a few rushing cats, she realized it wasn't Snowbird standing there at all, but Blackkit. Redkit slammed her hindquarters down on the ground to avoid from barreling into him at the last minute but ended up skidding into him.

"Redkit?" Blackkit shrieked as they both toppled over.

"Obviously," Redkit growled, rolling her eyes. "Where in StarClan is Snowbird?"

As if to answer her question, she heard a frantic yowl of, "Redkit! Blackkit! Where are you?"

"Here, Snowbird!" Redkit called back. She sprang up from Blackkit and scampered toward her mother. Something warrior-like in her made her glance over her shoulder. Blackkit was scrambling up and pawing mud from his eyes. The hawk was beginning to fold back its wings, talons outstretched. "No!" Redkit screamed, and whirled, bounding back toward the center of the clearing.

"Redkit, get away from there!" Snowbird yowled, and Redkit heard the thud of paws as the warriors rushed forward to help them.

But Redkit was too quick. She dropped her head so her chin rested on her chest and butted Blackkit with all her might. The hawk let out a cry of confusion as the red kit entered its vision, before it honed in on her. The talons had just dug into her sides when Blackkit leaped to his feet and yowled, "Leave her alone!"

After that, everything was a blur. Redkit heard Blackkit's grunt of concentration, saw the slashing of claws, and felt blood running down her sides. Then the world turned over and over and the great grip loosened.

. . .

When Redkit woke, she was lying on a flat pebble covered with moss. The tips of her paws were wet, and she realized she was in the medicine den. A steady trickle of water leaked from the top of the den, making a small pool at the back. This was where Mudfoot's sick cats drank when they were too weak to move around in camp.

Redkit scrambled to her paws. Her joints ached slightly, but it didn't compete in the least with the pain in her sides. She twisted around to find them bound with cobwebs and what looked like some kind of slimy green plant. _Gross! _She wrinkled her nose and started pulling off the leaves, or what was left of the leaves. They looked as if they had been ground up. Redkit shuddered; she didn't know what those stringy strands were connected to it, and she didn't want to think about it, either.

"Redkit! You're awake, darling! Oh, what are you doing? Leave those on there. They'll help you get well," Snowbird meowed, all in a rush. She covered her only daughter's head in licks, smoothing down her pelt.

"Yeah, hello to you, too," Redkit grumbled, pushing her mother's tongue away. Her own tongue was dry as crushed bones, so she headed to the pool at the back of the den to take a drink. "Did Blackkit die?" she asked bluntly.

Snowbird's sun-colored eyes lit up at Blackkit's name. "No – he saved you from that hawk. His heroism has made him really popular among the Clan, so he's going to be apprenticed to Rowanstar. Everyone's talking about it."

Redkit's eyes bulged as she spat out water, gagging. "What?!" she demanded, unsheathing her claws. _I'll flay that maggot-eating piece of fox dung for making me look weak in front of the Clan! And he gets _Rowanstar _as a mentor? He's crowfood!_

As Redkit stalked out of the medicine den, Snowbird exchanged a glance with a sleepy-looking Mudfoot, who emerged from his own den. "What just happened?" he asked.

. . .

Redkit stalked out of the medicine den with purpose, holding her head and tail in the air, picking up each paw high. Her dignity would not be crushed by Blackkit's deeds! The black-pawed tom was stuffing his face at the fresh-kill pile, as usual. Angrily, Redkit yanked him backwards by his tail. Before he could even make a sound, she thrust her face into his, hissing, "Don't think you've won this, _Blackkit_."

"What?" Blackkit yelped, bewildered.

"Don't act like you don't know what I'm talking about," Redkit continued, her blood boiling with rage. "Just because you get to be an apprentice before me doesn't mean–"

"What are you talking about?" Blackkit cut in. "We _both _get to be apprentices today."

_"What?" _Redkit demanded.

Blackkit pushed her out of his face and nodded. "You were willing to be taken by the hawk instead of me, and then when I fought it off, the Clan was so surprised, Rowanstar said he'd make us apprentices."

For a few moments, Redkit let this sink in. Word spread fast in ShadowClan – too fast. So fast that it got twisted and mangled and distorted to where the story changed. But her own mother had told her that it was Blackkit who was the one being apprenticed – the one who was being apprenticed to _Rowanstar_.

"You may have gotten us both apprentices," Redkit admitted grudgingly, "but why did you have to play hero? I'm not a weak little kit anymore, you know. I can take care of myself. I can fight my own battles! I don't need you hovering over my head to protect me from one little hawk."

Blackkit's eyes smoldered. "Excuse me? I think I just saved your life back there."

"Oh, and it's not like you wouldn't have been carried away by that hawk if I hadn't shoved your lazy tail out of the way in time," Redkit snapped back.

For a few moments, they glared at one another, amber eyes meeting dark green, before Blackkit sheathed his claws and broke the stare. "You know what? This is enough. We're almost apprentices, so we should start _acting _like apprentices. No more of this kit's play."

"It was a matter of life or death, _not _kit's play," Redkit retorted.

"I'm not going to argue anymore," Blackkit responded, and promptly walked away.

_**A/N: Sorry guys, for the huge time jump, but I was stuck and I didn't know what else to do. It's enough of this waiting around for action – let's get a move on, man! Enough of this bore! XD**_

_**Oh, and by the way – I might not be posting a chapter every day. I WILL try for at least once or twice a week, but I've been going through a really creative spurt right now. Just watch; about nine chapters in I'll get a horrible case of writer's block and abandon it for three weeks. (Good grief, I hope not!)**_

_**Seeya soon!**_


	4. Chapter Three - Apprenticed

_**A/N: Sorry, I've had a busy week. Happy late Fourth of July! Hope you enjoy!**_

**. : CHAPTER THREE : .**

**APPRENTICED**

"Let all the ShadowClan cats gather below the Tall Pine to hear my words!"

Blackkit's head poked out of the nursery. It was finally time! He hadn't thought sunhigh would ever come! It seemed as if the sun had been moving extra slow just that day, or that Rowanstar had been putting off their apprentice ceremonies.

Combing his paw over each spray of whiskers once, Blackkit padded out of the nursery and to the front of the clearing, where had waited behind Oakpaw and Pricklepaw when they were apprentices. Excitement fizzed in his paws; he could barely contain his excitement. Redkit was padding to the center of the clearing and her mother was sitting nearby, her eyes gleaming with pride.

"Today we gather to make two kits apprentices," Rowanstar meowed. "Redkit, Blackkit, step forward, please."

Blackkit tried not to tremble with anticipation as he obeyed.

"Redkit, from this day forth, you shall be known as Redpaw. Ferretclaw will be your mentor," Rowanstar meowed. His eyes were narrowed suspiciously as he fixed the ginger she-cat with a stern look. Unknowingly, Redpaw trotted forward with the dignity of a leader and gravely touched noses with a gray-and-cream tom that was only Ferretclaw.

"Blackkit, from this day forth, you shall be known as Blackpaw." Blackpaw shivered as he received his new name. Rowanstar met his eyes as he continued, "_I _will mentor you."

Blackpaw ignored Redpaw's seething glare that was burning his pelt as he solemnly stepped forward. Rowanstar lightly leaped down from the tree, and the two touches noses before turning to the Clan.

"Redpaw! Blackpaw! Redpaw! Blackpaw!" the Clan chanted.

Blackpaw's fur tingled with pride under the attention of his Clanmates. When the congratulations had died down and the cats began to disperse, Blackpaw turned to Rowanstar, eyes blazing with excitement. Only Ferretclaw and Redpaw lingered in the center of the clearing besides them; the rest of the Clan had resumed their work for the day.

"What are we doing first? Training? Hunting? I want to do it _all_!" Blackpaw meowed, his excitement spilling over. He could tell that Redpaw was displeased at not getting a very impressive mentor, but even some kit-like anticipation was showing through over the edges.

"Whoa, calm down," Rowanstar meowed, but he was laughing. "We can't do it _all _at once." He looked up at Ferretclaw; the gray-and-cream tom was looking a little nervous at mentoring apprentices with his leader. "What do you think we should do first, Ferretclaw?"

"Why don't we show them around ShadowClan?" Ferretclaw suggested. "That way they won't get lost when we _are _going to hunt and train."

Rowanstar dipped his head, acknowledging approval to the younger warrior. "Follow me," he mewed with a flick of his tail, and headed toward the yew tree that framed the exit to camp.

Excitedly, Blackpaw bounded after him. Ferretclaw and Redpaw followed closely behind.

When the forest expanded in front of him, Blackpaw took in the sights and sounds and scents with awe – for the second time. Last time he had been here with Rowanstar those long three moons ago, there had been a chill in the air that was odd for greenleaf. Now, the crispness in the air was much sharper, and the trees that weren't pines were beginning to turn scarlet and yellow.

About halfway to the lake, Rowanstar turned down a different path, sliding between the pines like he was born to do it. Instinctively, Blackpaw kept his weight on his paws and followed closely behind, keeping his tail close to the ground.

At one point, Rowanstar stopped near what looked like an old riverbed devoid of water. It sloped steeply downward for about three fox-lengths before coming abruptly to a halt. There was flat ground for two or three more.

"This is the Gully," Rowanstar explained. "This is where we'll practice fighting moves tomorrow, most likely."

"Looks dangerous," Redpaw remarked mildly.

"That's why kits aren't allowed out of camp," Rowanstar explained, not tearing his gaze from the Gully. Blackpaw got the feeling that Rowanstar didn't like Redpaw very much. _I wonder why.._. "If you don't know how to climb down properly, you could fall and sprain a paw."

Blackpaw's eyes widened. "How _do _you climb down properly, then?"

"Like this," Rowanstar explained. He stood sideways at the top of the hill and moved in fluid, agile steps like it was well-practiced. "Walk sideways and lean back so you're flattening yourself against the slope. Take small steps when you're first practicing." He reached the bottom and began to head back up the same way. "We also use this as a trench when the other Clans or rogues are attacking."

"But wouldn't that make it easier for them to attack?" Redpaw wondered.

Rowanstar gestured with his head for them to move on as he replied, "There's a ShadowClan warrior behind every tree during an attack. The warriors in the Gully are just backup."

The four cats padded on to the border they shared with ThunderClan, a stream next to a gnarled tree.

"What's that smell?" Blackpaw asked, wrinkling his nose against the overpowering musky scent that hung in the air.

"It's ThunderClan," Ferretclaw replied, amused. "And they say _we_ stink."

"Yuck!" Blackpaw exclaimed.

Rowanstar led them to a shallow spot in the stream and slipped through the reeds lining the edge. "Follow me," he meowed, and crossed by climbing on stones that jutted out of the surface. Ferretclaw and Redpaw followed.

When it came Blackpaw's turn to cross, he tested the first stone with one black forepaw and leaped onto it. He honed his senses on the next one and sprang, but he overshot and his front end landed in the water, making a big splash. Blackpaw felt his head connect with Redpaw's flank ahead of him. She let out a startled yelp and whirled, her hindquarters sliding off her stepping stone.

"Hey! What do you think you're doing, you mangy crowfood-eater?" Redpaw growled, green eyes blazing.

"Losing my balance," Blackpaw snapped under his breath. "Why do you ask?"

Redpaw curled her lip and sneered, "Too bad you didn't drown." She turned to follow their mentors, but not before throwing one last stinging word over her shoulder, "Kittypet."

"I'm not a kittypet!" Blackpaw snarled, rage boiling in his blood.

"How do you know that? Your Twolegs probably dumped you on Clan territory because they didn't want you anymore."

Blackpaw cringed. "You don't know that," he answered, hoping he sounded as confident as he felt.

"What are you two still doing back there?" Rowanstar called from the other side of the creek. "Come on, already!"

"Yeah, Redpaw!" Blackpaw jeered.

"Shut up," Redpaw retorted, and kicked water at his face.

Gritting his teeth, Blackpaw forced himself not to snap back a mocking reply, but Redpaw grated on his nerves like claws on stone.

"This is the Clearing," Rowanstar explained, beckoning around the grassy hollow. "This was long-fought over by ShadowClan and ThunderClan. When the Clans first settled at the lake, ThunderClan owned every stick and stone between the two streams. They weren't willing to give it up, but ShadowClan won it through a battle."

"All right ShadowClan!" Redpaw cheered.

Rowanstar's eyes darkened. "All good things come with a price," he meowed. "Blackstar was leader at the time." Blackpaw pricked up his ears. He had heard a lot about this Blackstar character. "His deputy was Russetfur. She was killed in battle by a traitorous golden warrior."

"Lionface, was it?" Ferretclaw asked.

"We don't speak his name around here," Rowanstar meowed.

"Russetfur, huh?" Blackpaw was surprised how unusually thoughtful Redpaw looked. "I've heard a lot about her."

Rowanstar narrowed his eyes to slits as he looked at the apprentice. "I'm not surprised," he remarked. "She was a noble deputy and an outstanding warrior."

"I want to be just like her someday!" Redpaw exclaimed, rearing up on her hind paws.

Blackpaw couldn't help but let out a snort of mockery, and Redpaw fixed him with a stern glare before dropping to all four paws once more. "Well," he announced, shouldering her out of the way, "_I _want to be more like _Blackstar_. He's _way _cooler than _Russetfur_!"

"Blackpaw," Rowanstar scolded, "Show some respect. She served ShadowClan for many moons as their deputy, as long as Blackstar was leader. Now let's move on. This is a dark place."

"Yeah, Blackpaw," Redpaw hissed under her breath as their mentors began to cross the stream once more.

"Shut up," Blackpaw replied, and barged past her, nearly knocking her off the stone.

. . .

"Oh, look! There's the halfbridge!" Blackpaw called as the patrol neared the RiverClan border.

The four cats had been padding along the lake over the pebbles. The waves had lapped gently at their paws, but Blackpaw had pushed Redpaw in – when questioned by Rowanstar and Ferretclaw, he had replied that she had tripped over his tail by accident – so she of course had to retaliate and drag him under with her – she said that he had tripped her on purpose, which was only half-true– so both apprentices were soaked to the skin and shivering. Rowanstar said it was their punishment for bullying one another.

"You've been out here before?" Ferretclaw asked, shooting a questioning glance at Rowanstar.

"He was with me," Rowanstar rumbled in response.

"Yeah. I must be special or something." Blackpaw puffed out his chest and shot a glare at Redpaw from the corner of his eye – one which she met with glinting green eyes.

"Showoff," she spat.

"Blackpaw, there's a time to be proud and a time to be humble," Rowanstar countered him. "Know the difference between them."

Redpaw smirked as she passed Blackpaw, who lashed his tail and followed them back to camp.

When they ducked under the yew bush, Rowanstar padded off to his den without a word, leaving Ferretclaw to deal with the apprentices.

"Get some prey and rest up tonight," the gray-and-cream tom told them. "We have a busy day ahead of us tomorrow. Make sure you're ready for it."

Then, without another word, he walked off, leaving the apprentices alone.

_**A/N: Okay, sorry for pulling the whole "leader mentors the main-character cliché", but just follow my logic here. If you were Rowanstar and disliked one kit and was very much interested in another (well duh, he looked like Rowanstar's former leader!), wouldn't you mentor him – and to keep an eye on the traitor's daughter?**_

_**I hope I got their characters right. Blackstar was always a proud leader and Russetfur was something of a spitfire, so if I need to change someone's personality, please tell me!**_

_**Until next time!**_

_**Storm**_


	5. Chapter Four - Raid!

_**A/N: WOW! TWELVE reviews! TWELVE! Thank you SO much! I should probably stop being rude and inconsiderate and ANSWER some. I will start answering from 3 and 4 now, but thank you to those who have reviewed before!**_

_**The Darkness Inside Me: Thank you; I will!**_

_**Spiderweave: Yeah, they are quite foolish right now, but I'm trying to incorporate Russetfur's temper and sharp tongue into Redpaw, and Blackstar's wile and cunning into Blackpaw.**_

_**KatieK101: Thanks! I LOOOOOVE suggestions!**_

_**I will start answering your reviews from now on. I promise I won't ignore you anymore.**_

**. : CHAPTER FOUR : .**

**RAID!**

Hot greenleaf sun burned onto Blackpaw's back. He swished his tail, crouching low to the ground behind a clump of wild chives, his eyes narrowed to slits. The hare was sitting just a tail-length away, washing its face. It was totally oblivious to Blackpaw, who had never seen a piece of prey so big. Rowanstar would be so impressed! Not many ShadowClan cats even knew what a hare _was_.

Swiping his tongue around his jaws, Blackpaw honed all senses in on the hare. The wind was in his favor – blowing toward him – so the hare couldn't smell him. With a final check to make sure he was completely silent, Blackpaw bunched his muscles to spring.

"Yow!" Blackpaw yelped, more in surprise than pain, as someone jabbed him in the ribs. His vision faded to white before he was blinking in the gloom of the apprentices' den. He hissed in dissatisfaction as Redpaw aimed another explosive kick in his side. He swung around to glare at the ginger she-cat, but she was fast asleep. He gritted his teeth to keep from yowling every insult he knew at her.

It would be Blackpaw's third day of training the next day, and both nights Redpaw had been flailing and kicking in her sleep. He hadn't the slightest clue why, but the den was so small he couldn't move away from her. Growling under his breath, he turned around so she was facing his back. He closed his eyes and tried to go back to sleep.

Just as he was beginning to sink into oblivion, Blackpaw felt another firm kick on his spine. He leaped to his paws, bristling. "Would you stop it?" he snarled at Redpaw.

The ginger she-cat opened one lazy eye. "Stop what?" she smirked.

Blackpaw unsheathed his claws, angling them so that the waxing moon outside glinted off of them. "You know what I mean, you flea-ridden–"

"Don't even start," Redpaw snapped back in a whisper.

Grinding his teeth, Blackpaw whipped around. "I'm going for a walk," he growled. "If I'm not back by dawn, tell Rowanstar where I am."

Just as he was passing under the overhanging hawthorn branches over the entrance to the apprentices' den, he heard Redpaw's last insult. "Go cry to your Twolegs, Blackpaw!"

Blackpaw wanted to scream, but instead let out a strangled sigh, rage boiling in his veins. He loped out of camp, past a surprised Starlingwing, who didn't chase after him and didn't call out.

_Good, _Blackpaw thought. _I want to be left alone._

Lengthening his stride, Blackpaw kept his gaze and his thoughts on the path ahead of him, loping around the whole of ShadowClan's territory once. His muscles burned satisfyingly as he drew to a halt deep within the pine forest.

Now that his muscles were warmed up, Blackpaw paused under an overhanging pine branch and parted his jaws to taste the air for prey. A night wind ruffled his fur, and he smelled the faint scent of toad. Blackpaw swiped his tongue around his jaws. Toad was nasty, but ShadowClan didn't exactly have the best choices of prey, especially in leaf-bare.

The smell of the toad led him to a large one with legs as long as Blackpaw's whiskers. Blackpaw crouched, his ears quivering. His first catch had been a frog much smaller than this… could he really catch something this big? Like in his dream, Blackpaw gathered his hindquarters under him and pounced.

The toad jumped at the same time, but Blackpaw killed it with a sharp nip to the throat. A sense of relief washed over him. He kicked earth over his prey a, a habit ShadowClan had adopted from Tawnypelt, who was a former ThunderClan cat. But, to patent it, ShadowClan had made their own trademark to it. Blackpaw ran his six-toed paw over the place where he had buried his prey, leaving six clawmarks in the dirt.

Blackpaw trotted a little farther away, proud of his catch. He sniffed the air for more prey, but instead was met with a scent that was both strange but familiar. It was alien to the crisp sap smells, but Blackpaw was certain he had smelled it before. _But where? _He wondered. _Time to find out._

Bravely, Blackpaw padded toward the strange scent. He hadn't walked ten fox-lengths before he heard a rustling. Pricking up his ears, Blackpaw's eyes widened as his head jerked toward the sound. It was coming from behind a nearby aspen bush. Before he could call out a warning, a battle cry split the air and a heap of fur slammed into his side.

With a yowl of fury, Blackpaw whirled on his attacker, flattening his ears against his head. His opponent was a mottled brown she-cat with sharp green eyes. As she flew at him again, Blackpaw's mind buzzed with… a memory? A great cat's roar sounded in his brain as the images of multiple cats launched themselves at him – a flame-colored tom, a dark brown tabby she-cat, not unlike this one, and finally, a great blue-gray tom. Then all of the cats blurred into this one and it knocked him over again.

"Intruder!" Blackpaw yowled, springing to his paws. His vision blurred for several heartbeats, but he had an idea of where the cat was. _Am I going blind? _He wondered briefly as he raked his claws over what he hoped was her eyes. His vision came into focus, and he found blood dripping from her cheek and from his claws. _Frog dung!_

"Ow!" the she-cat shrieked, and slammed both forepaws into the side of his head. His vision unfocused once more, and in his mind's eye, he could see a hollow full of screeching, fighting cats. The scene switched to that same hollow full of bodies of cats with collars, studded with teeth, around their necks. Clan cats lay dead, too. Blackpaw's heart thumped painfully. _My Clanmates, I've failed them… _Then his eyes turned on a bright ginger she-cat with green-gold eyes. She looked straight into his eyes; her own were full of sympathy. _I know her, but who is she? She seems so familiar…_ She opened her mouth to speak, but instead came the screech of the attacking she-cat. Blackpaw's daydream shattered.

Blackpaw felt teeth connect in his ear and ripped away from her, yowling. He whipped around and scored his claws down her side, pummeling her belly with his hind paws.

"Hurry up, Cookie! You're fighting like a Clan cat!" jeered a voice from behind the bush.

Blackpaw looked up from Cookie and bounded over to the bush. His heart leaped into his throat when he uncovered at least twenty cats concealed behind the bushes. Teeth snagged onto his tail, so Blackpaw spun around and knocked the smaller she-cat away from him.

Cookie landed on the ground with an _oomph _that took all the breath from her, so Blackpaw pounced on her and sunk his teeth into the side of her neck. They rolled over and over in a writhing mess of fur and claws. Finally, she gasped out, "Let go! You're killing me!"

Blackpaw hung on for a few heartbeats more before releasing and pushing her away with his forepaw. She rolled away before coming to a stop, her eyes wide with shock and blood streaming freely from the new wound.

_I can't take them all, _Blackpaw thought frantically. _But I can't lead them back to camp! . . . Or can I?_

"Hey, losers!" Blackpaw called to the cats behind the bushes. "I'll rip your ears off, just like I did to this one!" he pointed with his tail to Cookie as heads began to peer over the top of the bushes. "But of course, you're too cowardly to challenge a _real _fighter, aren't you?"

A steady, low growl started up from behind the nearest hawthorn.

"The only way to fight me is to catch me!" Blackpaw added silkily, and with that, took off, leaping over Cookie's head with ease.

Almost immediately, Blackpaw heard the thudding of paws behind him. He came across the clearing where he had buried his toad. After a fraction of a pause, he decided there was no time to fetch it. If his plan worked, he could come back for it later.

Blackpaw's muscles were aching by the time he reached the yew bush. He began yowling fox-lengths before he reached the entrance, and Starlingwing stared at him in shock. His ginger ears flattened against his head before he turned tail and began letting out screeches that rang through the forest. "Attackers! Attackers!"

"Invasion!" Blackpaw yowled. "Help!"

Blackpaw burst through the yew bushes and repeated his words just as the broad-shouldered brown tabby tom who was leading the strange cats burst into camp. The tabby tom sprang forward onto Blackpaw, who met him by rearing up on his back legs. They met head on, and Blackpaw hooked his claws in the tom's shoulders, glaring at him with blazing eyes.

"What happened?"

Blackpaw nearly leaped out of his fur when Rowanstar was at his shoulder, his claws outstretched toward the brown tom. "I was out for a walk in the forest when these idiots jumped me," he hissed through his teeth. "I didn't know what to do, so I ran." He hated making himself look so weak, but he had to play off the helpless apprentice part.

"Well, well, well, Rowanclaw."

Rowanstar spun around at a leering hiss from a huge gray tabby tom. He turned around and let out a growl. "Jacques."

Confused, Blackpaw dealt one last blow to the brown tabby and turned to face this "Jacques".

"What are you doing here?" Rowanstar demanded, lashing his tail.

"Invading. What does it look like?" Jacques replied, a look of superiority in his amber eyes.

"You'll never take ShadowClan!" Blackpaw yowled, bushing out his fur to make himself look bigger.

Jacques looked at him almost sympathetically. "Do you really think one measly apprentice can beat _me_?"

"That's enough, Jacques!" Rowanstar snapped. "Your fight is with me."

"Where's Blackstar?" Jacques asked, as if the black-pawed tom was an old friend of his.

Rowanstar flattened his ears. "Dead." He spat out the word. "_I'm _their leader now. And I say you need to leave _my _territory, _now_."

"I'm frightened, now," Jacques replied indifferently. He shot a calm gaze around the camp, which was alive with fighting, screeching cats. "This is quite a nice place you've had. I _love _what you've done with it."

"Enough of this kit's play, Jacques!" Rowanstar yowled. "You and your kittypets will pay for this."

"Kittypets?" Blackpaw hissed, while at the same time Jacques let out a _mrrow-ow-ow _of a laugh.

"Ow!"

Blackpaw's head snapped around at the sound of a familiar voice. It came from . . . Redpaw. She was battling a huge black tom with a spiked green collar. His teeth were locked in her throat, and her eyes were dilated. Her nose was beginning to turn gray and her muscles looked limp and rubbery.

_He's killing her, _Blackpaw realized. Something in him snapped and he let out a battle cry, interrupting Jacques' silky mew. He sprang onto the black tom and battered him with his claws.

The tom whirled, his green eyes glittering with fury. "Get off!" he growled in a gruff voice.

"Get off of her!" Blackpaw yowled in response. He could see Redpaw staring at him, wide-eyed, out of the corner of his eye.

The black tom aimed a blow at Blackpaw's eye, but he dodged away and sprang, swiping at the tom's underbelly with his claws. Chunks of fur flew around his head as he sank his teeth into the tom's shoulder. The tom shrieked with pain as Blackpaw didn't let go. Blood ran past Blackpaw's teeth but he forced himself to hang on as the tom rolled over and over and shook him to try to pry him off. Finally, Blackpaw sprang back. The tom's flailing claws caught him at the corner of his eye and he felt his flesh rip in a long scratch.

By now, Redpaw was scrambling to her paws, but she swayed dangerously as if she would fall over, yet her eyes burned with purpose.

Blackpaw drew backward with a hiss of pain as the tom's claws snagged on his delicate ear fur. The tom wrenched his paw back and Blackpaw's ear tore. He launched himself at Blackpaw, who rammed his shoulder into the tom's chest to block him. The tom fell back with a puff of effort, giving Blackpaw time to recover and pounce again. He sprang onto the tom, who let out a screech of fury. Blackpaw silenced him with a sharp bite to the shoulder – the one that he had locked his teeth into just earlier.

The tom's pain exploded in an earsplitting screech. When Blackpaw released him, he added a swat of unsheathed claws on his flank as he fled. He spun around to face Redpaw, who was struggling to stand. The she-cat had obviously put up a good fight, because her claws were clogged with fur and she had another tuft of it on her nose. But one of her eyes was bloody and half-closed, and there were several scratches on her shoulder. She held up one hind paw like it hurt, and her throat was still trickling.

"Get to the medicine den," Blackpaw ordered.

Redpaw bristled, and even in the state she was in, she looked formidable. "I don't need to go to the medicine den! I want to fight!"

"In that state?" Blackpaw snorted. "Yeah, right. You won't last long like _that_."

"Watch me!" Redpaw snapped, and turned, limping toward a screeching cream she-cat who was grappling with Ferretclaw, her mentor.

However much he hated her, Blackpaw couldn't watch his Clanmate get herself killed. With a begrudging sigh, he sprang after her and circled around in front of her. "You're not going to do ShadowClan any favors getting killed in battle," he meowed. "Just go to the medicine den. Get away from here before they find you."

"I can fight kittypets!" Redpaw retorted. "I don't need help from another _kittypet_!" she shouldered him out of the way and continued on to Ferretclaw.

Blackpaw narrowed his eyes. "I tried," he snarled as he barged past her. "You'll thank me for my efforts when you find yourself lying on the ground, twitching and bleeding to death!" he was sick of being her plaything, of having her wiping her paws on him every time he tried to help. Enough of this kit's play! He wasn't going to do this anymore!

Taking a deep breath, Blackpaw took a quick glance around camp. Crowfrost was locked in battle with a fat gray tabby, while Applefur and Smokefoot were driving back a tortoiseshell she-cat, matching each other blow for blow. He spotted Puddlepaw fighting with a ginger tom that couldn't be much older than six moons. Oakpaw and Pricklepaw were grappling with twin tabbies that looked to be more on the losing side. ShadowClan was winning!

Blackpaw thrust himself into battle, fighting cat after cat, feeling bite after scratch after bite and clawing and biting until he didn't know which way was up or down.

"Retreat!" a small brown tabby she-cat screeched in the end.

"Susan! You can't do this yet!" Jacques, the gray tabby broke away from Rowanstar and faced Susan, bristling.

"Our cats are dying, Jacques," Susan responded. "I won't watch our kits be killed against these worthless forest cats!" without tearing her gaze from his, she raised her voice and yowled again, "Retreat! Retreat!"

Blackpaw joined the ShadowClan warriors in a chorus of victorious yowls and screeches as the kittypets fled the ShadowClan camp. He swung around to look for Redpaw and smirked when he saw her green eyes glowing furiously from the medicine den as Mudfoot plastered herbs on her wounds.

But at this point, Blackpaw didn't care. ShadowClan had won!

_**A/N: I know it's only Blackpaw and Redpaw's second day of training, but remember about what good fighters Blackstar and Russetfur were. I'm not trying to make them Mary-Sues – or in Blackpaw's case, a Gary-Stu – but they DO have to excel somewhat, because they were warriors before. Those memories are in their minds, so they do have a thought of how they're really supposed to fight. However, I dragged out the fight with Blackpaw and that big black tom because I don't want to make it look like Blackpaw jets through all twenty kittypets like Firestar used to do as a young warrior…**_

_**Remember Jacques and Susan, the kittypets Russetfur and Squirrelflight led an attack on? These are their kits and fellow kittypets fighting. The time that has passed between that raid and this one has allowed Susan and Jacques to have… eh, maybe two litters. Boom. Six or seven of those cats could be their kits! Anyway, I thought it would be nice to see what those kittypets are up to.**_

_**I have a *cough* few *cough* questions to ask you…erm, Questions of the Day I guess!**_

_**Did I do better on Blackpaw and Redpaw's personalities?**_

_**Who's your favorite character so far?**_

_**What character would you like to see more of from their point of view?**_

_**Would you like to have a huge twist at the end, or a classic happy ending?**_

_**Long author's notes are boring, so I should probably stop here. Goodbye! XD**_

_**Storm**_


	6. Chapter Five - Battle Training

_**A/N: My Internet was down off and on yesterday, and then something happened with FF and I couldn't post pretty much all day. Sorry :( BUUUUT, it gave me time to write the next three chapters! I'm REAAAAAAAAAALLY excited for the upcoming events, and this chapter is kind of dull. Consider that a warning! xD**_

_**Replies to Reviews on Ch. Four:**_

_**KatieK101: Thanks! I like Redpaw a lot, too, but I'm having trouble writing her POVs because she's such a spitfire and I am not. I really have to stop and pause to think a lot to start thinking like her! xD**_

_**shadeflower927: Haha, yeah. "Swallow your pride, Redpaw!" someone shouts. Redpaw's eyes bulge. "NEVER!"**_

_**Golden Kiwi Coast: ((I might have just *COUGH* forgotten *COUGHCOUGH* him. OOOPS…))**_

_**Spiderweave: Thank you for the long review! I just LOVE long reviews! :D I'm trying to switch the POVS so that no one gets bored reading about just one character. Originally I was going to do Blackpaw-Redpaw-Blackpaw-Redpaw, but then I got away from that because Blackpaw is fun to write for. xD**_

_**THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO REVIEWED! :D**_

**. : CHAPTER FIVE : .**

**BATTLE TRAINING**

Redpaw let out a hiss of discomfort as Mudfoot pressed a poultice of what were once spiky dark green leaves onto the scratch over her eye. Luckily she had closed her eyes when that stupid black tom slashed at her. Mudfoot had told her that if she didn't, she might have lost her eye.

"Sorry," Mudfoot meowed nervously, but Redpaw didn't speak, merely lashing her tail. She hated being stuck in the medicine den while she could be out doing something useful – fighting. Now the fight was over, of course, but Redpaw was still angry that Blackpaw had been right. Now the shaken Clan was too jittery to go back to sleep, so Toadfoot began to send out patrols – tracking and border patrols to make sure the kittypets were gone for sure and hunting patrols to stock back up on fresh-kill.

Mudfoot was rushing around like mad, tending to each injury periodically. He had at least six or seven cats to attend to at once; at this point he was dabbing a soothing salve of poultices onto a scratch on Scorchfur's flank. The gray tom had dug his claws into the moss below him, stifling a hiss in pain.

Redpaw felt like a medicine cat apprentice standing around in this stuffy den. She spotted a pure-white pelt on the other side of camp. She clenched her teeth angrily. Blackpaw hadn't even come to the medicine den to see for that torn ear, or the scratch leading from his eye to his jaw. In fact, they didn't seem to bother him at all. He was talking quietly with Rowanstar, who was nodding his head rapidly.

For a moment, Redpaw's vision flashed white and then she was sitting in the medicine den once more. She felt a thousand moons older, and her joints felt creaky and stiff. Blackpaw and Rowanstar were sitting in the same spots, only Blackpaw now towered over Rowanstar, and he bore old scars, not fresh wounds. Redpaw squinted at them. They were still talking quickly, with their heads together, and every now and then they cast anxious glances at her. She looked down at her paws so as not to make them suspicious of staring – or even eavesdropping, although she couldn't hear a word from here with all the chatter in the den – and saw that her pelt was more orange, not reddish, and it was flecked with gray.

Redpaw let out a squeak of alarm. Those paws on the ends of her legs belonged to an old cat, their pads hard and callused. _What's happening to me? Am I in a different dimension? _Then her vision flashed white again and she looked up to see that Blackpaw's white form was vanishing under the yew bush, and Rowanstar was nowhere to be seen.

Redpaw was puzzled, but she also didn't feel like standing around in this den all day while her Clanmates worked. _If Blackpaw can deal with _his _injuries, I can deal with _mine, she thought defiantly, and promptly stood up. Her vision swam with green and white spots at first, and she felt dizzy. Redpaw kept moving. Just as she was about to march out of the exit, a voice called her back.

"Redpaw, wait!"

Turning, Redpaw curled her lip. Mudfoot was staring at her, shocked. "Where do you think you're going?"

"To help," Redpaw meowed. "They need me out there." Mudfoot opened his jaws to protest, but she added, more softly, "The fighting is over. The rest of the jobs are soft work. I can at least reinforce the nursery or clear away broken undergrowth."

"Redpaw." Mudfoot was unusually stern. "As your medicine cat, I don't want you doing anything more than _that _for at least five sunrises. No battle training or hunting either."

"_What?!_" Redpaw screeched, drawing the attention of several cats in camp. "What am I supposed to do then? Lie around like an elder?"

"Well, er…" Mudfoot looked uncomfortable under the gazes of so many cats. "Yeah."

Redpaw ground her teeth furiously before whipping around and stalking to the apprentices' den. If she couldn't hunt or fight for _five days_, what else could she do? _Stupid kittypets, _she thought. And since Blackpaw was a kittypet, she added for good measure, _Stupid _Blackpaw.

. . .

"Where did you learn to fight like that?" Pricklepaw demanded excitedly. He, Blackpaw, and their mentors Rowanstar and Scorchfur were on their way to the Gully to train. The amount of work the Clan had done during the night and almost all day had been enough to free up some cats to continue on with the day, so the four of them were heading to the Gully to get some practice.

"I don't know," Blackpaw meowed truthfully. "It just came instinctively."

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Rowanstar staring at him thoughtfully.

Silence laced between the four toms until Scorchfur remarked, "There's a chill in the air today." He angled his ears at Rowanstar and asked, "When will you send out the Hunters?"

Blackpaw glanced at Pricklepaw confusedly. _Hunters? _He mouthed, and the gray tom shrugged. They turned back to listen to their mentors' conversation.

"…don't think it's quite time to send them yet. Perhaps after this next Gathering we will," Rowanstar was meowing. "I've picked what warriors and apprentices will be Hunters and ones that will be Runners." Blackpaw pricked up his ears at the word '_apprentices_'. What exact was a Hunter and a Runner? Would he be chosen to be one? And why? "Well, we're here," Rowanstar announced. He slid down the slope and landed with a bounce.

Blackpaw gave his fur a shake and decided to train now, ask questions later. "What are we doing first?"

"I'd like to teach you attack and defense today," Rowanstar began. "So if we ever have to use the Night Ambush and are interrupted, you'll know how to defend." He cleared his throat, and, shooting a glance at Scorchfur, suggested, "How about starting with something simple; the double-twist belly rake?"

Blackpaw glanced at Pricklepaw. "Sounds lethal," he mewed excitedly.

"It is," Rowanstar meowed seriously. "Only use it in the direst of times." He gestured to Scorchfur with his tail. "You attack, and I'll defend."

"Right," Scorchfur replied. He crouched down and the two toms glared at one another for a moment. Then the gray tom let out a battle cry and sprang toward Rowanstar, who reared up on his back legs. Scorchfur slammed into his leader and they both went rolling. Rowanstar scrambled to his paws, arching his back and stretching out one paw to claw the gray warrior. Scorchfur retaliated by lunging for his belly. Rowanstar reflexively leaped back, but Scorchfur threw all his weight sideways and twisted around. Blackpaw's eyes followed, hungrily drinking in the battle moves, as Scorchfur twisted and pretended to slice Rowanstar's belly open.

After a few moments of his victory, Scorchfur scrambled off of Rowanstar and both toms stood up, shaking sand from their fur. Scorchfur pricked his ears toward the apprentices. "Are you ready to try it?"

"Yes!" Blackpaw announced, without hesitation.

"Right," Rowanstar meowed. "You attack Pricklepaw. Claws sheathed, remember. We have enough injured cats as it is."

Blackpaw faced his denmate and locked gazes with him, as their mentors had. But he didn't hesitate for so long, and instead pounced on Pricklepaw with all his strength. The gray tom fell backwards with a grunt, leaving Blackpaw on top of him. The black-pawed tom sprang to his paws before Pricklepaw rose again. His vision honed in on Pricklepaw alone, as if nothing else in the world mattered but beating up his Clanmate. Blackpaw's vision locked on Pricklepaw, and everything else distorted around him. His ears only picked up the sounds of Pricklepaw's breathing, the beating of his heart, the breeze that his lashing tail made. All he could smell was the overpowering scent of his denmate nearby. All he could feel was fur and flesh under his claws.

Every sense locked on the gray tabby, who was struggling to regain to his feet. Before he could, though, Blackpaw leaped again, landing a mock bite on his shoulder. He slammed both paws into Pricklepaw's chest, knocking him over with an _oomph_ that must have knocked all the breath from him. Blackpaw swatted his denmate twice with a sheathed paw and finally made the last blow by dragging his paw along Pricklepaw's side, as if to make a gash on his belly.

That fighting sense, his "sixth sense" disappeared. His vision was focusing, his hearing was nearly divided in two, and he could now smell the sharp scent of sap and the smell of sparrow nearby. By the time his vision had cleared, he turned to see three pairs of eyes staring at him in shock.

"Wh-Wh…" Rowanstar began, but that was as far as he got.

"Great StarClan!" Pricklepaw meowed, while his mentor was speechless. "Look, I know you're being trained by the finest leader in the Clans, but you're _good_!"

Blackpaw puffed out his chest proudly. "I guess it comes naturally," he boasted, although he too was very surprised at himself.

"Let's try the half-turn knockout blow," Scorchfur suggested after he finally regained the ability to speak. He nodded to Pricklepaw. "Have you done it before?"

Pricklepaw waved his tail excitedly. "Lots! Let's do it!"

Without another word, Scorchfur launched himself at his apprentice. Pricklepaw dodged out of the way at the very last second. Scorchfur, surprised, let out a furious yowl and skidded to a halt, whipping around to face him. Pricklepaw, however, had already reared up on his back legs and twisted around. He brought both paws down hard on the back of his mentor's head, but not hard enough to _actually _knock him out.

"Awesome!" Blackpaw meowed. He flicked his ears excitedly to Rowanstar. "Can we try it?"

"Of course!" Rowanstar sprang, and Blackpaw dodged. He knew that Rowanstar was expecting it, so since Pricklepaw dodged left, Blackpaw dodged right. Rowanstar, surprised, spun around, but Blackpaw was already raining down knockout blows left and right with his huge black paws. Rowanstar started to get up to end the session, but to top it off, Blackpaw dropped all of his weight on his mentor, crushing the ginger tom's face into the dirt.

"Wet ee eup!" Rowanstar gagged, and Blackpaw hurriedly scrambled off of him. "Sorry!"

Once again, Rowanstar and Scorchfur were impressed at his fighting skills.

"With your large paws, you can do more than a single knockout blow," Scorchfur told him. "That was good use. And you're heavy enough so you can smush cats' faces into the dirt." His whiskers twitched in amusement. "But next time, balance your weight evenly so you don't fall on him by _accident_. You could fall the wrong way and he could spring back up and attack you. But your aim was spot-on."

Blackpaw purred under his praise.

"I would like to try fighting by instinct," Rowanstar meowed. "Let's try it. Attack me."

Scorchfur and Pricklepaw moved out of the way so that Blackpaw and Rowanstar would have room.

Blackpaw wasted no time in landing square on his mentor's back. He felt claw-tips pierce his flank as Rowanstar clambered for a grip to throw him off. Wrenching himself away, Blackpaw thought, _Mistake number one. _He let out an angry yowl and batted Rowanstar away with a hit to the cheek. The ginger tom was sent reeling, and in that time, Blackpaw pounced on him, ramming his shoulder into his leader's throat. He pretended to make a few gashes before pinning Rowanstar with a paw on his throat.

"Get off of me, fluff-brain," Rowanstar choked out eventually.

"Sorry." Blackpaw stepped off of him and swished his tail. "How'd I do?"

"Perfect!" Rowanstar meowed. "You show great promise in this Clan."

"Wow, Blackpaw," Pricklepaw meowed. "That was _amazing_!"

"You'll make a fine fighter in ShadowClan," Scorchfur meowed.

"Let's hunt on our way back," Rowanstar meowed. "I heard a sparrow chirping earlier and I _really _don't want to miss a perfectly good opportunity to catch prey."

Blackpaw didn't blame him a bit. As they sidled up the Gully's slope, Pricklepaw exclaimed, "I can't wait to tell everyone in ShadowClan about our newest apprentice's awesome fighting skills!"

Blackpaw raised his head proudly. His muscles didn't even ache…yet. _In your face, Redpaw, _he thought arrogantly. As he clawed his way over the side of the Gully, he realized one question was gnawing at him from the insides, sharp as fox's fangs. He lengthened his stride to pad past Scorchfur and Pricklepaw, who were chattering like starlings already. Rowanstar trotted at the front of the group, his ears twitching thoughtfully.

"Rowanstar?" Blackpaw asked quietly. "What is the purpose of Hunters and Runners? Are there Fighters, too? Why do you separate them into groups?"

Rowanstar shot him a look out of the corner of his eye. "No, there aren't any Fighters, only Hunters and Runners. Hunters must provide food for the Clan, and the Runners take the prey the Hunters catch back to the Clan."

"But…" Blackpaw was still confused. What did he mean? Couldn't the Hunters just c_arry _it back to camp _themselves_? Besides, they were all already rotated on a hunting/border patrol schedule. What else did they need? "I still don't get…"

"It's a long story." Rowanstar let out a long-suffering sigh.

Blackpaw thought of a witty reply. "I have time."

Rowanstar looked at him straight on for once. "Patience, young one; you'll find out soon enough."

_**A/N: Well, that is the most BORING cliffy I have ever seen. Did I seriously WRITE that? Ugh. I must be losing my talent. Anyway, I had my questions numbered the other day, but FF deleted the numbers! *holds frying pan above head***_

_**QOTD: Why do you think Rowanstar separates the cats up into these 'Hunters' and 'Runners'? And why haven't Blackpaw or Pricklepaw heard of this before?**_

_**Chapter 6 will be all Redpaw's POV, and both 6 and 7 (which I'll start on today) will be more interesting and action-filled. See you then!**_

_**Storm**_


	7. Chapter Six - Assigned

_**A/N: I'm SOOO EXCITED! And I got 27 REVIEWS! TWENTY. SEVEN! TWENTYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY SEVENNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN! *is cheering and dancing, and all four pet cats run into the other room, letting out loud meows* Oops. Anyway, I just couldn't stay away from all of you!**_

_**Answers to Reviews for Ch. Five:**_

_**Nightfeather777: Thank you! The reason why I said 'Lionface' is because it was Ferretclaw asking the question. He was a young apprentice when that battle happened and I don't want Blackpaw and Redpaw to know who he is yet, because he's going to *slaps hand over mouth* Mpashgoweighaiusdjghweugioabasdh! That's a good guess on what Hunters/Runners are used for!**_

_**Spiderweave: LOL, I totally get you, and thanks! Redpaw's name should be Ragepaw or something. What I intended to do was make Redpaw have dreams/nightmares and Blackpaw to have flashbacks about their old lives, but… well, let's just say that wasn't very effective. Lovable little fuzzball – Blackpaw… xD! How did you manage to fit that in the same sentence?**_

_**CandyNazi101: THANK YOU SO MUCH! Thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou! And I do LOVE the idea of Blackpaw teasing Redpaw… hehehe. *evil grin***_

_**KatieK101: But I **_**adopted **_**the story from you. That's almost the same thing. You'll find out what Rowanstar is planning in this chapter. *humungous grin that swallows up face***_

_**Now! On to find out what these Hunters and Runners are! *plays "Charge" on the bugle* By the way, please check out the author's note at the end of the chapter later, and it might clear some things up.**_

**. : CHAPTER SIX : .**

**ASSIGNED**

But it was nearly a moon and a half later before Blackpaw – and the rest of the young ShadowClan cats found out what was going on. Word had spread among the older cats; the younger cats had heard what was going on from their mentors or mothers or fathers, and became curious. Rumors spread like wildfire until the truth became twisted and mangled and distorted.

One day, Rowanstar appeared on the Tall Pine and called the cats to a meeting below. By that time, Redpaw's wounds had healed and were merely pink scars that she liked to display proudly. She had grown taller and stronger and her hunting and fighting skills had improved greatly. Her fur carried a glossy sheen despite a rapidly-coming leaf-bare.

"Cats of ShadowClan," Rowanstar began, "You all know that prey is scarce year-round, and leaf-bare is approaching fast. Leaf-bare means all the birds will fly away and the amphibians will die off. As an annual event, ShadowClan will send out four pairs of cats as Hunters outside of Clan territory to gather prey. Then there will be four Runners to collect this prey and bring it back to camp. I have chosen these Hunters and Runners carefully this year, including more apprentices than warriors."

Redpaw finally realized what all this was about. ShadowClan would go hungry if not for the Hunters, who had no choice but to leave Clan territory to hunt. But the end of Clan territory was more than a day's journey away, so the Hunters couldn't waste their energy by bringing it back to camp. It made perfect sense. Excitement fused in Redpaw's limbs. She hoped she was a Hunter!

"For the Hunters," Rowanstar continued, his voice sounding thunderous in the silent air. "The pairs will be Pinefrost and Oakpaw, Puddlepaw and Greenpaw, Frogpaw and Mothpaw, and Pricklepaw and Blackpaw."

Redpaw muffled a screech of frustration. _Blackpaw _got to be a Hunter but _she _didn't? Was he _mad_? She was a perfectly good apprentice! She could do it! Plus, all the other apprentices were going, everyone but _her_, and there was an extra place for her to go instead of Pinefrost, who was now a warrior.

"For the Runners," Rowanstar meowed.

_Let me at _least _be a runner! _Redpaw pleaded silently.

"Pinefrost and Oakpaw's Runner will be Starlingwing." _Come on, come on._

"Puddlepaw and Greenpaw's Runner will be Ferretclaw." _Please, please not Blackpaw's._ "Frogpaw and Mothpaw's Runner will be Redpaw." _Yes! YES! _Redpaw wanted to jump for joy.

"Pricklepaw and Blackpaw's Runner will be Dawnpelt." _Unlucky she-cat, _Redpaw smirked.

Redpaw inwardly celebrated her mental victory. Although Blackpaw got to be a Hunter, which was like a rank higher than a Runner, she still didn't have to carry back _his _prey. _That _would have been completely unbearable. She could just imagine Blackpaw's taunts as she silently had to carry back his prey…

_No. That won't happen, because I'm a Runner for Frogpaw and Mothpaw! _Redpaw rejoiced.

"The cats who have not been picked – Toadfoot, Mudfoot, Crowfrost, Applefur, Tigerheart, Smokefoot, Owlclaw, Scorchfur, Snowbird, Ivytail, and the elders will attend Gatherings on a rotated schedule," Rowanstar went on. "Toadfoot will sort it out as the moons go by. Our Hunts outside Clan territory must be kept a secret from the other Clans; they cannot know how vulnerable we leave our camp in leaf-bare, and we must remain indifferent and calm and cold at Gatherings. Act no different in leaf-bare as you do in green-leaf. Groom your pelts well, keep your muscles fit, and don't let the other Clans know what is going on. ShadowClan has survived moons upon moons of leaf-bares in the old forest, and ShadowClan will survive moons upon moons of leaf-bares at the lake! _We will remain strong_!"

Redpaw raised her voice in a chorusing cheer that the ShadowClan cats below the overhanging hazel bush took up. When the cheers finally died down, Rowanstar dipped his head to his Clan. "Runners will attend Gatherings every other moon so as not to make the other Clans suspicious." He shifted his gaze to the Hunters he had selected among his Clanmates. "Apprentices, see this as an assessment – one step closer to being a warrior. Warriors, see this as a test to keep your skills sharp." As if they understood, Pinefrost, Ferretclaw, Dawnpelt, and Starlingwing twitched their ears. "Mudfoot has stocked up on traveling herbs for Hunters. Until the fresh-kill pile is stocked, Runners will take traveling herbs every day." Redpaw swallowed distastefully. Herbs were bitter and disgusting. "Neither Hunters nor Runners will go to the Gathering tonight. I would like you all to go to your dens, sleep and eat all the fresh-kill you can. You will make up for it with tomorrow's hunt." Before he leaped down, he locked gazes with each of the chosen cats. "I wish you all a good night's rest and full bellies."

Redpaw began to bounce with excitement for being a chosen cat, but when she found Blackpaw's gaze on her, she stopped immediately and bent her head to give her chest fur a few self-conscious licks. When she looked back up, she was nearly disappointed to see Blackpaw talking quickly with Pricklepaw and the other apprentice Hunters. Pinefrost stood off to one side, head cocked and ears alert, not quite joining in the conversation but not sure how to speak to those younger than her.

"Welcome to the Runners' group."

Redpaw looked up to hear a husky female voice as a cream-colored she-cat approached her. Dawnpelt was a respected ShadowClan warrior and she quivered in shock when she realized that she was actually talking to Redpaw. "H-H-Hello," Redpaw meowed tremulously, out of character. _Snap out of it! _She kicked herself mentally. _Don't put her _that _high up on a pedestal. You're just as good of a warrior as she is!_

"You know, not many apprentices are chosen to be Runners," Starlingwing mewed. He was one of the younger warriors, made one on the same day as Pinefrost and Ferretclaw, his siblings. "Blackstar always thought it was too hard on the apprentices' bones. This is my first time – and Ferretclaw's – to be a Runner. We've always been Hunters before!"

Redpaw's heart sank. "You mean I'll _never _get to be a Hunter?" She'd have to settle for being just a runner every leaf-bare from then on?

"No, no," the ginger warrior corrected himself, waving his long tail quickly. "Almost every warrior gets the chance to be both Runner and Hunter – numerous times. Don't worry about it. You'll get your chance."

Although she mewed agreement, Redpaw noticed that he had lingered slightly on the word "_almost_".

Most of the Hunters were gulping down most of the prey in the fresh-kill pile. As more cats crowded around it, Redpaw decided against having a midnight snack. Frogpaw and Mothpaw would earn back the prey tomorrow, and with her carrying it back as swiftly as she could, she'd make up for it. Besides, traveling herbs would keep her hunger at bay most of the day.

After she said goodbye to the three warriors she would be Running with, Redpaw headed to the apprentices' den. She found Oakpaw, Frogpaw, and Blackpaw already curled into their nests. She fought the urge to curl her lip as she settled next to Blackpaw. Although she resented the white apprentice greatly, she felt no familiar urge to claw his ears off. Who cares if he was a Hunter? She was a _Runner_, a privilege most ShadowClan apprentices never got the chance to be!

Feeling rarely graceful, Redpaw muttered, "Goodnight, Blackpaw" against her paw for the first time, _ever_.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw his eyes shoot open as fast as a lightning strike and nearly lost composure. She was pretty sure her ears trembled with unreleased laughter, but she managed to conceal it in a smooth pelt and still tail.

A few minutes later, she heard his soft response. "Goodnight, fuzzball."

_**A/N: Awww, Redpaw. I can totally understand what happened there, because when I am tired and giddy I say weird stuff I don't even mean. It seems as if Blackpaw is more awake and more in control of his words. Haha ;)**_

_**IMPORTANT, IMPORTANT, IMPORTANT! The reason why I brought these Hunter/Runner tasks into ShadowClan is because I live in a very ShadowClan-like area. It's sparse, it's piney, and it would be a harsh environment for cats to live in. There are a lot of frogs, toads, and lizards around here. And the only birds I see are robins, doves, finches, sparrows and hummingbirds, which wouldn't have much meat on them anyway. A hawk tries to kill our doves and the occasional rabbit (emphasize **_**occasional**_**) and I think we have a woodpecker around here somewhere…**_

_**Anyway, I thought it would be proper to make a plan for ShadowClan's winters. All the frogs and lizards go away to hide at the bottom of the streams or under the snow. The birds fly south for the winter – at least they do at **_**my **_**place. So what prey would they be left with? Nothing. And ShadowClan is a proud Clan. They would never stoop to asking the other Clans for help. Although they would never admit it, they are too weak and hungry to be taking territory by force.**_

_**You might be disappointed that Redpaw and Blackpaw didn't get paired together, but I promise they'll have some interaction soon. We'll get more of Blackpaw next chapter.**_

_**QOTD: Do you think Hunters/Runners are a stupid idea, or a good one? Which task would you rather do?**_

_**Note: Hunters do have to use only their hunting skills, while Runners must be tougher. They have to run back and forth all day WITH prey in their mouths, WHILE masking their scents from foxes and badgers and enemy Clans, WHILE trying to keep going fast, WHILE hungry, even if that means unsheathing their claws. Runners also can't eat until the queens, kits, and elders have been fed (like the normal apprentice code.)**_


	8. Chapter Seven - The Trek Begins

_**A/N: Sorry for being gone so long – I was NOT just in Whacko World, I promise. I had a lot of company over (family and friends and church people and bonfires and birthday parties O.O) and that leaves ME pretty drained because I'm such an introvert. THEN… erm, I went off to Whacko World and was totally brain-dead (if that includes eating popcorn and pretzels and draining five glasses of water a day and reading Percy Jackson). Gosh, I just sound horrible, don't I? If I were a hired author, I would be fired by now…**_

_**Anyway, sorry, and thank you for the reviews:**_

_**Moonbeam141: Yeah, it does. I'm starting to feel sorry for her…**_

_**Bronzemist: No, it's quite all right! And good luck with your book!**_

**. : CHAPTER SEVEN : .**

**THE TREK BEGINS**

Watery yellow light filtered in through the brambles around the apprentices' den. Blackpaw blinked his eyes open to see that the sun was up…and promptly wrapped his paws over his face, hiding it with his tail. Not a heartbeat later, he remembered what today was! Today was his journey outside Clan territory! He sprang awake, fur bristling and eyes alert.

Puddlepaw was washing her face on the other side of the den. The tabby she-cat looked up, her tongue frozen in midair. "Jeez, Blackpaw – you don't look excited at all."

"Do you know where Pricklepaw is at?" Blackpaw asked, ignoring her.

"Yes, he's out in the clearing. I think he and the rest of the Hunters are getting their traveling herbs. The Runners will probably get to sleep till sunhigh, the lucky things!" she responded with a purr.

"Okay. Thanks, Puddlepaw!" Blackpaw turned around and tripped over Redpaw's tail. He fell forward, crashing onto his muzzle.

"Watch it!' Redpaw screeched bad-temperedly.

Blackpaw scrambled up and fled for his life to avoid a swat from her claws. "Sorry!" he replied, not sorry at all. He met all of the apprentices – except for Redpaw – and Pinefrost in the medicine den, and Mudfoot was talking to them.

"This herb is chamomile. Don't confuse it with feverfew. The way to tell them apart is to look at the leaves. Chamomile's leaves are more like grass stems, while feverfew's are spiky. Chamomile's flowers also tend to be bigger. Chamomile will help you keep your strength, while feverfew might give you a bellyache if you ingest too much," Mudfoot was explaining. He pushed the two herbs over to the apprentices He mixed them around so that they couldn't tell what was where. "Now, can you tell me which one is which?"

Blackpaw tried to find the difference, but there was nothing. The petal and leaf shape looked the same to him. "Why are we learning this stuff anyway? We're warriors, not medicine cats."

"Because," Mudfoot replied, shooting him a stern look. "You'll need these to keep up your strength. If you hadn't noticed, the fresh-kill pile is empty."

Yeah, and we're just the cats to stock it back up! Blackpaw thought proudly. He sat through a boring lesson of each traveling herb besides chamomile – daisy, sorrel, and burnet. They all looked the same to him in the end, except for sorrel, which looked different from the rest with wide, smooth leaves. Blackpaw seriously doubted he could find it without a medicine cat pointing it out to him. Leaves were leaves, and bushes were bushes. He didn't know the difference!

Lucky for him, Pricklepaw seemed to know what he was doing. He seemed to enjoy learning about it, too. Blackpaw hoped his denmate wouldn't leave him to Hunt alone and become the medicine cat apprentice. Stop being a bee-brain, he told himself. Pricklepaw's a warrior at heart.

When Mudfoot finally stopped droning on, he pushed a bundle of herbs to each apprentice. Blackpaw bent his head and lapped up the bitter-tasting herbs. The taste didn't bother him so much, but they stirred impossibly old memories. Eating the herbs before battles, swallowing them before a trip across Clan territory to a huge, shiny rock in a cavern far below ground, downing them before a long journey…far away…

Blackpaw shook his head to clear his thoughts, bringing his consciousness skidding back into the medicine den. He did have to admit he felt rejuvenated and refreshed by the herbs, and he no longer felt hungry.

The apprentices were trailing out of the medicine den, where Rowanstar, Tawnypelt, and Toadfoot were sitting in the center of the clearing. As Blackpaw followed his denmates out, Rowanstar rose to his paws, beckoning them over with a flick of his tail. They obeyed, sitting in somewhat of a semicircle in front of the trio.

"Say your goodbyes. You won't be coming back to ShadowClan until the great thaw is on in newleaf," Rowanstar meowed.

At those words, Blackpaw broke away from the rest of the group and loped over to the warriors' den. "Snowbird?" he called. He spotted a pair of eyes gleaming from behind a patch of particularly thick brambles. "Snowbird?"

"No, it's me," Crowfrost replied. "I think Snowbird is on patrol."

Blackpaw's heart sank. Snowbird was the closest thing he had to his mother, and she had treated him like her son. "Okay. Thanks anyway."

As he was padding away, Redpaw slid out of the apprentices' den. "Leaving so soon?"

"Yep," Blackpaw replied.

"Good." Redpaw flicked her tail bad-naturedly.

"See you next newleaf!" Blackpaw could barely contain the purr in his voice.

Redpaw glared at him. "I'm not looking forward to it."

"Love you, too, fuzzball," Blackpaw teased, and loped back to the center of camp.

"Ready?" Pricklepaw asked as the apprentices gathered back in the center of the clearing.

"Of course!" Blackpaw replied confidently. I hope so.

. . .

There had been a light dusting of snow in the past quarter moon, and more flakes were falling by the time Rowanstar, Toadfoot, and Tawnypelt led them to the edge of Clan territory. Blackpaw parted his jaws slightly to drink in the heavy scent that the ShadowClan cats had left against foxes, badgers, and enemy cats on this line.

"Pinefrost and Oakpaw," Toadfoot meowed. "We want you to head out toward the Twoleg nest where Jacques and Susan live, which is northwest. Skirt it as widely as you'd like; we don't want any kittypet trouble. You'll head deeper into Twolegplace if you keep going straight. If you turn right at the first Thunderpath, you will run straight into a tiny horseplace. The rats in that barn are plentiful, even in leaf-bare. If you go at a steady pace, you'll get there in a little over a half a day. Leave your prey in the same place each time, outside of the barn doors."

The two she-cats nodded determinedly, and Toadfoot moved on to Puddlepaw and Greenpaw. "You will head farther north than that; it will be a full day's travel. You'll come to a moorland-type landscape. Watch out for holes – there are lots of rabbit warrens, and you'll find mice and voles there, too. Don't try to look for birds. They only roost in the trees beyond that, and your Runner will not know where you are if you go farther than the meadow. Leave your prey in the same place each time, by the tiny beech sapling in the center of the clearing."

"Frogpaw and Mothpaw," Tawnypelt continued. "You will head north. Your journey will only be a three quarters of a day. You will come to a steep drop-off into a gorge. If you keep walking north, you will find that it slopes gently down, like the Gully. Be very careful you don't fall and sprain or break a paw. You will find small to medium-sized fish in the river below, but it's not very deep. I doubt you'll find much more than bluegill and miniature trout. Up above, you might come across snakes and lizards in the crevices, but they may be hibernating. If you do happen to run across them, don't catch them. The ones that live in that gorge are poisonous. Leave your prey in the same place each time, at the top of the gorge. It's a long, treacherous journey up, so I suggest taking turns making the climb."

Finally, when Blackpaw though his nerves would burst from waiting around, Rowanstar approached him and Pricklepaw. "You will be heading north, and when Frogpaw and Mothpaw part from you, you'll head east. Make sure not to cross into ThunderClan territory. I want you to go to where the old beaver dam was. It's fed by a waterfall. I'd like you to camp at the stream it makes below. There is a fallen tree that forms a bridge across the river. Leave your prey in the same place each time, on the nearest side of the bridge, toward the roots."

Blackpaw was sick of hearing the almost-same speech over and over, and he began to shift his paws uncomfortably, nearly dancing in place. He had heard of the Great Drought, when the lake dried up to a puddle and the Clans nearly dehydrated to death. Toadfoot, the deputy, and Tigerheart, an experienced warrior, were young warriors when they had traveled to the beavers' home to knock out the dam and free the river again. So that was where they were going. They had their herbs, their strength, and their instructions. He was ready!

"Give yourself enough room to Hunt but don't get too far away from your fresh-kill pile. If one of you happen to get injured, Mudfoot has taught you basic herbs for that. Don't be afraid to eat some, and try to catch just enough for one Runner to carry back," Rowanstar finished. He touched his nose to each cat's as he added, "I wish you all good hunting. May StarClan light your paths."

Blackpaw hurriedly said his goodbyes and shot out of there after that; Pricklepaw loped after him. Blackpaw was excited to be on his own, to be trusted with this responsibility, and he didn't feel like waiting around for the older cats to tell him everything he would be doing. He wanted to get out there and experience it for himself!

For a while, they moved at a steady run. The pine forest changed slightly, first to open moorland, which Blackpaw didn't like at all. The wind buffeted his fur uncomfortably and stung his eyes.

They slowed to a walk when the moorland changed back into forest – only a ThunderClan type of forest. Then the territory became marshes underfoot, which reminded Blackpaw of what RiverClan might see.

By the time they reached the river, Blackpaw was exhausted, and his belly fur and legs were splattered with mud from running. "We're here," he announced half-heartedly. He was so glad he wasn't a Runner – he wouldn't want to travel like this every day.

Pricklepaw glanced at him as if he agreed. "Time to call it a night."

_**A/N: Look, I'm sorry for such a crappy chappie, but I had no ideas and I'm just eager to get on with it. This is more of just a space filler and I had no inspiration. :P**_


End file.
